Intro To Cooking: Oven Fries

Warning: Insanely Addictive.

The edges are crispy and savory while the insides are soft and piping hot. They’re so much better than the fries you buy at the concession stand or a fast food restaurant, because they’re actually made from potatoes. They’re easy to make and even easier to devour. Just writing this makes me want to whip up a batch and chow down. In my bed. While watching an ANTM marathon.

You can use regular or sweet potatoes for this recipe, or even mix them up in the same batch, which I do here. These fries are already healthy (and totally natural!), but you could make them have a lower glycemic index than starchy russets by choosing waxy potatoes, such as new potatoes or red potatoes. Really, this is the perfect college recipe – healthy, easy, tasty – so memorize it. It will get you through the rest of your college career, I guarantee it. Read More »


Intro to Cooking: Sweet Potato Fries

It’s simple: French fries are good but baked sweet potato fries are better! In every way, I might add. They satisfy junk food cravings without the grease and trans fat. And you can rest easy knowing they will be good to your shrinking Coach wallet at less than a dollar an order.

Plus they’re so. damn. good. I swear, I’m so addicted to these things I thought they had crack in them until I made them myself. Turns out, it’s just sweet potato goodness. And a bit of salt.

Stuff you need:

Sweet potatoes
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Let the salivating begin:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Scrub the potatoes clean.

3. Cut the potatoes. As you chop away like a veritable Martha Stewart, think about how good your fries are going to taste. I know, I know. These potatoes are like freaking carrots – I never expected them to be so hard either. But try to make them all the same size and thickness so they’ll cook the same. Also, the smaller you cut them, the less baking time you’ll need, which translates to less time you’ll have to wait before you can eat the deliciousness that will be your sweet potato fries. Oh, and leave the skin on – it has valuable nutrients and gives the fries texture. Your call though, obvi. Read More »


Five Foods I Cannot Live Without (No Matter How Bad They Are For Me)

cookie-dough.jpg[I swear this is not a PMS list -- though after compiling it I realized that's exactly what it looks like.]

This is my tribute, my thank you, my ode to certain foods for being so delicious (albeit not very nutritious) that I consume them in mass quantities and therefore am forced to spend far more time at the gym than I’d like. In no particular order the foods that I’d do anything for are:

1) French fries: Regular, sweet potato, waffle, frozen, deep fried to crispy, baked – I don’t care how they were cooked or in what form I get them, but I need them and I need them with like half of a bottle of ketchup. They’re vegetables though, right? No matter how much I eat, I always always always have room for fries, whether I order them or you do. I especially have room if you ordered them and I got a side salad.

2) Nutella: It’s really versatile if you consider all of the pairing options. Fruit like strawberries and bananas are begging for Nutella and it’is fantastic on bread or waffles or crackers. I am such a mixer that I also add it to ice cream and cake and you can use it in pies to line the graham cracker crusts with chocolately goodness (well, I do). Despite the mixing options, my favorite way to consume it: off of a spoon, straight from the jar. Read More »


Team USA Dinner: Get Your Eat On While America Wins Medals

exps1133_cb1283c137.jpgUsually sports bore the crap out of me, but for some reason I love watching the Olympics. Maybe it’s because I used to swim on a team (a long, loooonnngg time ago) and kind of relive that heart-stopping moment of hearing the starting buzzer every time I see it on TV. Maybe it’s watching girls who are more in shape than I will ever be in my entire life flip themselves around on a balance beam and land on their feet. Maybe it’s all those hot, sweaty guys. Who really knows. For whatever reason, I heart the Olympics big time.

Since nothing makes me hungrier than watching other people exert themselves, I’ve devised the perfect Olympics Dinner. It’s Team USA themed, scores a 10 in the taste factor, and is relatively easy to make. Join me in celebrating athleticism with decidedly non-heathly food, won’t you?

Go Team USA! Dinner:

All American Hamburgers:

2 stalks of celery

2-3 pads of butter

Ground meat (enough to serve 4)

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1 ounce package McCormick gravy mix (or some other kind) Read More »


A Healthier Fry

071205103246.jpgI became a sweet potato convert when I was introduced to Weight Watchers. Sweet potatoes are one of those bang-for-your-buck foods. They’re incredibly filling, they’re not that bad for you if you don’t drown them in butter (or in my case, substitute real butter for nonfat spray butter), and they actually are pretty delicious. The other perk? They’re incredibly easy to prepare.

Since you’re not always going to be in the mood for a straight-up baked sweet potato, or Thanksgiving-style yams, however, I discovered one summer a perfect way to incorporate these babies into my snacking routine. By baking them as fries, you’re treating yourself with no need to feel any guilt, AND getting in some of those veggies. What’s not to love? Read More »